Throw-and-catch game racquet



May 20, 1958 H. v. HULL THROW-AND-CATCH GAME RACQUET Filed Nov. 19, 1956INVENTOR. HILDE V. HULL 2,835,494 THROW-AND CATCH GAME RACQUET Hilde V.Hull, Ogden, Utah Application November 19, 1956, Serial No. 623,195

1 Claim. (Cl. 273-96) This invention relates to game devices and toysdesigned to develop skill and muscular co-ordination in the handling ofa ball. It is concerned particularly with ball propulsion and catchingdevices.

A great variety of toys utilizing balls for dynamic play have beendeveloped in the past. The present invention adds to such array of knowntoys a new toy or game racquet designed to capture the interest ofyoungsters and to contribute materially to the development of muscularco-ordination, visual-muscular oo-ordination, and skill in handlingmoving objects.

A principal purpose of the invention is to provide such a toy that canbe economically manufactured on a mass production basis, and that willbe highly attractive to youngsters.

' An important structural feature of the toy is the provision ofaflexible catch basket from a sheet of drape material, such as cloth ornet, having oppositely disposed and rigid handles for grasping andmanipulation by the hands of a youngster or other person playing withthe toy. Resilient means are incorporated with the sheet of material insuch a way that the handles may be manipulated to alternately flattenand re-form the basket. In this Way, a ball resting freely in the basketmay be pro jected into the air repeatedly, with force dependent upon theforcefulness and rapidity of handle manipulation.

Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent fromthe following detailed description of the presently preferred form ofthe device illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 represents a top perspective view of the game racquet in relaxed,basket position, with a ball resting in the basket, ready for play;

Fig. 2, a corresponding view illustrating how the basket is flattenedduring play and the ball projected into the air;

Fig. 3, a corresponding view showing how the basket member is made andhow it is applied to the handles; and

Fig 4, a transverse vertical section taken along the line -44 of Fig. 1and drawn to an enlarged scale, intermediate portions being broken outfor convenience of illustration.

Referring now to the drawing:

In the constructionillustrated, a rectangular sheet 10 of flexible andpliable material having drape characteristics, for example, variousfabrics, net, plastic sheeting, or the like, is provided withelasticized shirring along one set of mutually opposite margins 11thereof and engages re spective handle members 12 along the other set ofmutually opposite margins 13 thereof.

The handle members 12 are preferably of elongate, rectilinear, rod-likeformation, and are advantageously provided by suitable lengths ofordinary wood dowel stock. The margins 13 of the drape sheet 10 aregathered along corresponding end portions ofsuch handle members,leavnited States Patent ing opposite elongate end portions 12a ashandles for use in the manipulation of the device.

The normal, relaxed position of the device is shown in Fig. l, the drapesheet 10 being drawn by the elasticized shirring into basket formationcapable of retaining a ball 14- therein.

In using the device for play purposes, the handles 12a are grasped bytherespective hands of a player, and are vigorously spread apart to theposition illustrated in Fig. 2, whereby the basket formation of thesheet 10 undergoes a rapid change to the relatively flat conditionshown. Such rapid transformation from basket formation to flat conditionhas the effect of forcefully projecting the ball 14 into the air.

A single player may alternately project the ball into the air in themanner described above and catch the ball as it descends, the latterbeing accomplished by rapidly bringing the handle portions 12a togetherto re-form the basket. When several players each have one of thesedevices, the ball may be tossed back and forth between players accordingto appropriate rules of play.

The drape sheet 10 may have its margins 11 elastically shirred in anysuitable manner. In the form illustrated, the material of the sheetalong such margins is folded over. and. seamed to providerespective'elongate pockets 15, Fig. 4, for receiving respective lengths16 of elastic or elasticized material, such as rubber or elasticwebbing. Such elastic lengths 16 are sufficiently shorter than therespective margins 11 of the drape sheet to provide the desired shirringeffect, exemplified by the showing of Fig. 1.

The drape sheet 10 is secured to the handle members 12 in any suitablemanner involving a gathering of the material of such sheet along themargins 13 thereof. Likewise, the opposite ends of the respectivelengths 16 of elastic material are held in fixed position relative tothe handle members 12 in any suitable manner to produce the shirredeffect.

In the form illustrated, the material of the sheet along the margins 13and the ends of the lengths 16 of elastic are folded over and seamed toprovide elongate pockets 17 for snugly receiving the handle members 12,respectively. Because the elastic lengths 16 are shorter than therespective margins 11 of the sheet, such margins assume a shirred formin the relaxed position of the device shown by Fig. 1. This and thegathering of the margins 13 of the sheet on the handle members 12provide the basket formation of -Fig. 1.

For the purpose of insuring retention of the sheet 10 in gathered formon the corresponding end portions of handles 12, it is preferable thatmetal bands 18 or some equivalent retaining means be tightly applied tosuch handles near or upon respective opposite ends of the gatheredmargins 13 of such sheet 10. As illustrated,

the bands 18 are applied to the handles at opposite ends of such margins13 after the sheet is gathered from condition of Fig. 3 to the conditionof Fig. 2.

Whereas this invention is here illustrated and described With respect toa particular specific embodiment thereof, it should be realized thatchanges may be made, within the scope of the following claim, withoutdeparting from the essential contributions to the art made by theteachings hereof.

I claim:

A throw-'and-catch ball game device, comprising a sheet the of drapematerial; a pair of elongate rods to and along corresponding endportions of the lengths of which respective mutually opposite margins ofsaid drape sheet are attached and gathered, leaving the remainder of thelengths of said rods free as respective elongate handles; elasticizedshirring extending along mutually opposite 3 margins of said sheet,intermediate and transversely of the References Cited in the file ofthis patent first-named margins, so as to normally draw said handleUNITED STATES PATENTS members toward each other and normally draw saidsheet into basket-like, ball-retaining position, but permitting 2465808Kmam 1949 taut extension of such sheet by lateral spreading move- 5FOREIGN PATENTS ment applied to said handles; and means attached to said355,672 France Sept. 8, 1905 rods for retaining said mutually oppositemargins of the 23,690 Great Britain 1907 drape sheet in gatheredcondition. 27,679 Great Britain l908

